Spinal-vibrating apparatus



' T. L. ZOOK.

SPINAL VIBRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1921.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Ff iiCE.

THOMAS L. ZOOK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SPINAL-VIBRATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. s, was.

Application filed March Q, 1921. Serial No. 449,090.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Trroams L. ZOOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spinal-Vibrating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide exercising apparatus particularly adaptable for causing vibration of the spinal column.

The improved apparatusincludes members movable relative to one another and having means for causing vibration of one of the same. The vibrated member is also provided with means for cushioning the vibrations and has supporting means connected thereto which are adapted to engage the head of a person using the apparatus. The other of the relatively movable members is provided with means for suspending the same, so that the apparatus may be employed for supporting a user by the head so as to tension the apparatus and the patient during subsequent actuation of the apparatus, to cause vibration of the patient and a consequent rejuvenation of the spinal col umn.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus in use.

Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation of the apparatus partly in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device with the upper part thereof shown in vertical section.

The improved vibrating apparatus includes relatively movable frames 1 and 2 shown as U-shaped members reversely arranged with relation to one another and having the frame 2 slidablewithin the frame 1. Connecting means shown as an eye bolt 3 is secured to the top of U-shaped member 1 so that the mechanism may be suitably suspended. For this purpose a chain 42 is preferably connected to the eye bolt and is adapted to have any one of its links engaged by a hook 5 suitably suspended from a door frame, or from a ceiling 6, or other support.

Pulleys 7 and S are journaled one above the other in the frame formed by members 1 and 2. These pulleys are lined upon bolts 9, and the shaft of the upper pulley 7 is journaled in the inner frame member 2 and is slidably received inlslots l0 providedin outer frame member 1, while the bolt 9 for the lower pulley 8 is slidably received in slots 10 provided in the inner frame memher 2 and is journaled inthe outer frame member 1. Nuts 11 are threaded upon bolts 9 for preventing displacement of the parts. The upper pulley is prefer-ably provided with a flat periphery, while the lower pulley has a grooved periphery l2, and a flea? ibl'e member 13 shown as a sprocket chain is received between the pulleys so as to run in groove 12. The links comprising the sprocket chain make the latter of uneven thickness, so that when the chain is drawn back and forth, the pulleys will be alternately forced away from one another and then again drawn toward one another by the force exerted in opposite directions upon frame members 1 and 2, so as to cause vibration of frame member 2 with relationto frame member 1 suspended as above described. In order to conveniently actuate chain 13, as described, handles 14 are preferably connected to the ends of said. chain by connecting members 15.

Supporting means are suspended from the U-shaped member 2 and are shown as a bolt 16 having a loop 17 received through the base of member 2 so that the bolt depends therefrom. A washer 21 is positioned upon the lower end of the bolt by means of nut 19, and a coil spring 20 is received around the bolt with its lower end resting against washer 21 and with a washer 22 received against the upper end ofthe spring. A sleeve 18 is received around the spring and the washers, and said sleeve is provided with elongated slots 23 adjacent upper washer A clevis 25 extends below sleeve 18 with the arms thereof bent 'so as to extend through slots 23 and be received in the upper washer 22. By this arrangement it will be seen that bolt 16 provides a cushioning support for the clevis, so that the vibrations of frame member 2 willbe transmitted to the clevis in a somewhat modified form.

Tongs are suspended from clevis 25 preferably by an Sshaped hook 26 received through openings 27 in the arms 28 of the tongs. These tong arms are adjusted relatively to one another by a bar 29 pivoted to one arm and extending through a guide 30 upon the other arm. This guide is provided with a locking pin 31adapted to engage in any one of aseries of notches 32 provided along bar 29. The collapse of the tong arms is preferably limited by a pin 33 projecting from bar 29 and arranged to engage one of the tong arms.

The tongs preferably carry supporting means to engage the head of a person using the apparatus, and for this purpose rings 35 are arranged at the i-iwingingends of the tong arms, and straps 36 are supported between the tong arms by hooks 37' at the ends thereof adapted to engage rings In operation the apparatus having been suspended as above described, the tong arms are collapsed to their limitof movement and the tongs are arranged above the head with one of the straps 36 beneath the chinand the other strap beneath the bark of the head at the base of the brain. The apparatus is so suspended as to permit positioning of the parts, as thus described, when the person using the apparatus is standing upright. The patient then rises upon the toes and the tong arms are spread apart and adjustably held in spread position so as to elevate the strap 36 and thereby tension the apparatus and the body of the patient when the weight of the body is suspended from the appara-' tus. The handles 14: are then grasped and chain 13 is moved back and forth so as to vibrate the mechanism, and as a consequence cause vibration of the patients head and of the spinal column.

It will thus be seen that I have provided extremely simple but efficient means for exercising and causing vibration of the spinal column of a patient, the apparatus being readily adjustable so as to accommodate persons of different height, and being also so arranged that by employing suspension chains 4 of different length that the apparatus may be employed in connection with a patient either standing, sitting down, or reclining Various changes may be made without dep'artlng from the spirit of the invention as clalmed.

What is claimed is: i p

1. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, supporting means secured to the other member, said members having pulleys in juxtaposition and normally drawn toward one another by the weight carried by the supporting means and actuby the opposite frame for movement of said pulleys toward one another as the frames aredravvn apart, suspension means for one of said members, supporting means secured to the other member, and means for vibrating said pulleys.

3. Adevice of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, supporting means secured to the other member, said members having pulleys in juxtaposition and said pulleys being normally drawn toward one another by the weight carried by said supportingmeans, and an operating member of uneven width drawn between said members for vibrating the same.

t. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, supporting means secured to the other member, said members having pulleys in juxtaposition and said pulleys being normally drawn toward one another by the weight carried by said supporting means, an operating member of uneven width drawn between said pulleys for vibrating the same, and handles upon the respective ends of said operating member for moving the latter back and forth.

5. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one or said members, a bolt depending from the other member, supporting means carried by said bolt, a spring between said bolt and supporting means, and means for vibrating said members relativeto one another.

6. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, a bolt depending from the other member, a spring on said bolt, a clevis engaging the upper end of said spring and depending at the sides thereof, supporting means carried by said clevis, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another.

7. A device of the character described comprisingmembers movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, tongs depending from the other member, supporting means for a persons head carried by the arms thereof, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another, and extending to points adjacent said supporting means so as to be convenient" to the persons hands.

8. A device of the'character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, tongs depending from the other member, supporting means for a per sons head carried by the arms thereof, means for locking the arms of said tongs in adjustably spaced positions, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another, and extending to points adjacent said supporting means so as to be conven ient to the persons hands.

9. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, tongs depending from the other member, supporting means for a persons head carried by the arms thereof, means for limiting the collapse of said arms, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another and extending to points adjacent said supporting means so as to be convenient to the persons hands.

10. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, tongs depending from the other member, straps connecting the arms of said tongs, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another and em tending to oints adjacent said supporting means so as to be convenient to the persons hands.

11. A device of the character described comprising members movable relative to one another, suspension means for one of said members, a bolt depending from the other member, a sleeve on said bolt, a spring Within the same and surrounding said bolt, said sleeve having slots in the same, a clevis extending through saidslots to engage said spring and depending at the side of said sleeve, supporting means carried by said clevis, and means for vibrating said members relative to one another.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

THOMAS L. zoom 

